Combined shank stiffener and filler.



W. H. WOOD. COMBINED SHANK STIPPENBR AND PILLER. APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1912.

1,049,284. vPatented 1160.31, 1912.

WILLIAM H. WOOD, 0F ROCHESTER, -NEW YORK.

COMBINED SHANK STIFFENER AND FILLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, i912.

Application led April 1, 1912. Serial No. 687,598.

To all whom t may concern:

Be itV known that I, WILLIAM H. Woon, of Rochester, in the count-y of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful improvement in Combined Shank Stitfeners and Fillers, which improvementis fully set forth in the following specification and sho-wn in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to a combined shank stiffener and filler of t-he type adapted to be arranged within the arch of a boot or shoe for the purpose of stitfening such arch and, at the same time, to provide for filling in and maintaining the transverse curve of the arch, an object of this invention being to construct the shank so that it fills in on a line which gradually merges into the line of the sole to the end that a depression is not formed in proximity to the end of the shank.

Another object of the invent-ion is to support the outer sole in suoli a manner that the transverse curve is maintained, while, at the saine time, the leveling tool, which is employed in forming this curve, does not cause the device to cut the main sole.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain parts and combination of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described and the novel features pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawings: Figure l is a transverse section of a shoe with the improved devicey shown in section; Fig. 2 is a side view of the device; Fig. 3 is a top view; Fig. lt is a bottom view showing its position upon the insole; Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the forward portion of the device.; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the forward port-ion of the shoe.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the combined shank stilfener and filler is formed from a single piece of sheetmaterial of uniform width. This material is preferably so bent as to form flattened end portions 1 and 2, the former preferably having openings 3 by which the device is secured to the insole. Between the end portions the material is arched on a slight curve conforming to the arch of the boot or shoe and varying according to the height of the heel, the end 2 being lturned slightly in a reverse direction to that of the arch in order to conform to the general curve of the sole of the boot or shoe to which the device is applied. The material is longitudinally corrugated to provide, on the under side of the arch, a central longitudinally extending project-ion or rib t which is of uniform width throughout the greater portion of its length and conforms to the curve of the arch. The forwardjportion, or end 5, of this rib widens but decreases in height, so that it graduallyineiges into the forward end 2 on a curve which is the reverse of the curve of the arch. lVitli this arrangement, the outer sole of the shoe passes onto the forward end of the central rib or projection without having an unsupported portion between this forward end and the flattened end 2 to break down under the action of the leveling tool.

Upon the upper side of the arch and upon opposite sides of the rib 4, ribs or projections 6 are formed, for engagement with the under side of the inner sole 7. These ribs are of a width to provide sufficient bearing for the inner sole and consequently do not cut through the latter, their forward ends merging into the widened portion 5 of the rib 4, so that said widened portion is equal to the width of both ribs 6 and the rib 4.

Upon the. under side of the arch and upon opposite sides of the central rib et, projections S may be provided. These projections are not so high as the central projection Ll and act to support the outer sole 9 upon opposite sides of the central projection fl in order to maintain the transverse curve of the arch of the shoe. Preferably, said projections 8 are widened laterally or turn outwardly, and as they are located between the upper surfaces of the projections G and the under surface of the projection l they may extend over the usual shoulders l0 on the inner sole 7, thus protecting such shoulders against'. the action of the leveling tool, and at the saine time, providing wide engaging surfaces for the outer sole 9 so as not to cut through such outer sole during the operation ofthe leveling tool.

A shoe shank constructed in accordance with this inventionsupports the outer sole in proximity to the forward end of the filler arch or projection, as the filler rib has its forward end conforming to the general curve of the outer sole, leaving no unsupported portion in proximity to the forward end of the projection. The device also has its arch supporting projections or portions vide wide bearing on opposite sides of its main or central projection constructed to cover the shoulder of the inner sole, and at the same time, to prosurfaces for engagement with the outer sole.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A shank stiifener and filler formed from sheet material, arched bet-Ween its ends with its forward end bent on a curve which is the reverse of the arch curve, the material of the device being bent to provide, on the vupper side of the arch, two longitudinally extending parallel ribs and,on the underside of the arch,a central longitudinally extending rib. which projects below all other portions of the device and is of uniform width throughout` the greater portion of its length, the forward end of the said rib being vwidened beyond the forward ends of the upper ribs and gradually decreasing in height so as to merge gradually into the reversely curved forward end.Y

2. A shank stiifener and filler made from sheet material, arched between its ends and ybent to provide, on the upper side of the arch, two'longitudinally extending ribs, and,

the same plane.

on the under side of the arch, a central longitudinally extending rib between the -ribs on the upper side and also longitudinally extending portions on opposite sides of the central rib, the lastnamed portions being above the lower most Vport-ion of the' tral rib beyond the two longitudinally exytending ribs, said outwardly presented portions being substantially flat in cross section and lying above the lowermost portion of the central rib an'dbelow the uppermost portions of the ribs on the upper Vside of the arch with their upper faces substantially in y WILLIAM H; IVOOD. Vitnesses:

' HAROLD H. SIMMs,

ADA' M.V WHITMORE. 

